PACIFIC 308 : Topics in Pacific Arts

Arts

2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Surveys traditional Pacific art forms focusing on aesthetics, function and adaptation. Considers their histories, significance and sociocultural functioning within contemporary Pacific diasporas. Art forms covered as part of a changing global Pacific include body adornment, bilum (string bag), tatau (tattoo), tapa (barkcloth) and weaponry. Issues discussed include gender, power, ritual and the impact of new technologies on notions of tradition.

Course Overview

This course introduces Art and Pacific Embodied cultural practices in the Pacific, specifically focusing on architecture, body adornment, bark cloth, quilt making, skin marking, and weaponry. 

This course will examine these art forms and practices as components of dynamic living cultures that are constantly evolving within a global Pacific. Among the topics that this course explores using embodied cultural practices as the main method are gender, collective thinking, ritual, and the influence of new technologies on Pacific knowledge systems.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 30 points passed at Stage II Restriction: PACIFIC 207

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of embodied Pacific art forms in the Pacific (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  2. Understand and describe styles of Pacific expression to fit different social contexts (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  3. Demonstrate and apply knowledge on Pacific art forms and the related histories, significance and socio-cultural functioning within contemporary Pacific diasporas (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8)
  4. Understand and critically evaluate Pacific art forms as mediums that provide a platform through which traditions, customs, values and beliefs are shared, expressed, reinforced and developed (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)
  5. Create, refine and reflect on Pacific arts practices and the relation and importance to the continuance of thriving Pacific culture (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8)
  6. Determine the ability to understand and respect cultural and social differences (Capability 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Photographic Essay 16% Individual Coursework
Woven Item 16% Individual Coursework
Short Film 16% Individual Coursework
Spoken Word 16% Individual Coursework
Movement Sequence 16% Individual Coursework
Written Reflection 20% Individual Coursework

Teaching & Learning Methods

This course includes a practical element that uses physical embodiment as a tool for learning. Please note that attendance is essential for this learning method.

Module

Week 1-2: Pacific Architecture
Week 3-4: Body Adornment
Week 5-6: Bark Cloth
Week 7-8: Quilt Making
Week 9-10: Skin Marking
Week 11-12: Weaponry

Exam Mode

  • There is no final exam for this course

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at ALL scheduled activities, including tutorials, to receive credit for course components.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities, including tutorials and workshops, will not be available as recordings.

The course will not include live online events, including group discussions/tutorials.

The practical components of this course cannot be learned online, and FULL attendance is encouraged.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

This course was revised for 2024, with student feedback being used for review and modification for delivery in 2025. 

Other Information

This course has a physical component; students are expected to be ready and open to explore different embodied practices from parts of the Pacific. If students have any previous physical impairments or injuries, the convenor must be made aware before course commencement.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894, which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 30/10/2024 02:42 p.m.